Lamar Odom is the latest celebrity to react to the heartbreaking news regarding Liam Payne. As previously reported, the former One Direction singer tragically passed away at the age of 31 last week after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Argentina.
Preliminary results from toxicology tests on Payne’s remains reportedly revealed traces of cocaine, benzodiazepine, crack cocaine, and ‘pink cocaine,’ a combination of methamphetamine, ketamine, and MDMA. While an investigation is ongoing, friends, fans, family, and fellow celebrities continue to pay tribute to the entertainer.
In an interview with TMZ, the former basketball star reflected on his own near-fatal overdose while discussing Liam. He shared, “I’ve done a lot of things. I’m not ashamed of [it], it’s my testimony.” Odom elaborated, “Drugs can cause you to hallucinate. If he [Liam] was in a hallucination state, then who knows what would happen.” When asked if he had ever experienced hallucinations during his struggles, Lamar replied, “I’ve heard voices before. That’s about it.” He also acknowledged feelings of paranoia linked to drug use, stating, “Oh yeah, especially with the forbidden […] that can really drive you up the wall.”
When it comes to whether he believes the substances found in Payne’s system contributed to his tragic fall, Odom commented, “Well, I mean, if you’re hearing voices, then it’s hard to escape those voices, so God forbid if those voices told him to do something that led to his fate. That’d be a shame.”
Liam’s family has since issued a statement regarding his untimely death, saying, “Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.” They continued, “We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time,” as quoted by the BBC.
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On October 13, 2015, Odom was rushed to the hospital after being found unconscious in a Nevada brothel. He suffered 12 strokes and two heart attacks and remained in the hospital, mostly comatose, for months before finally waking up.
According to reports, Odom has undergone ketamine and ibogaine treatments aimed at addressing his addiction, anxiety, and PTSD. He discussed his journey to recovery in the documentary “Lamar Odom: Reborn.” To this day, Odom has been open and candid about how his long-standing battle with drug addiction has positively transformed his life.
In his remarks to TMZ about Liam, he expressed, “I’m gonna make sure I say a prayer for his family and everyone that he knows.”
